The now 21-year-old, who is on bail, has pleaded guilty at the Dublin Children's Court to sexually assaulting the 25-year-old woman, in north Dublin, on a date in May 2008. He was aged 16 at the time of the offence and has also admitted smashing a window at her house.

Yesterday (MON) Judge Ann Ryan adjourned sentencing him so a victim statement could be furnished to the court. She had also said earlier that she wanted further information to be obtained on whether she was known to the youth. He must also pay compensation for the damage he caused to her home after the that attack.

The case will resume on December 18 next.

In an outline of the prosecution evidence, Judge Ryan has heard that the then 16-year-old approached the woman at a bus stop and asked her for a cigarette but she said she did not have any. He walked away but turned around and asked her for her phone number which she did not give him and she asked to be left alone.

The court has heard that the youth then “slapped her bottom” and then tried to punch her in the face. He then “put his hand up her skirt and grabbed her bottom again” and groped her breast.

The victim, in her statement, said he “was completely getting off on it”; she ran home and her attacker then threw rocks at the house and smashed a window causing €600 worth of damages.

Defence solicitor Ann Brizzell had said her client is ashamed and embarrassed by what he had done. He has little recollection of the events because he had been taking non-prescription tablets on the day of the attack. He has prior criminal convictions and though his previous probation reports were negative, the latest showed an improvement, the court has been told.

He had a history of self harm but has now been assessed as a low risk of committing another sexual offence, the judge has been told.

The youth, a father-of-two, who began abusing alcohol at the age of 12, has no other charges pending.

The court has already heard that he had 33 prior convictions mostly for motoring offences such as driving unaccompanied with a provisional licence and failing to display L-pates.

However, the court has also been told he had convictions for assault, dangerous driving, possessing a knife and theft.